Damien English, TD

To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the early access to pension funds as announced in Budget 2013 is limited insofar as it applied only to funded additional voluntary contributions; if he will consider including personal pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Government Chief Whip, Minister Paul Kehoe T.D., today announced the Government’s Legislative Programme for the Spring 2013 Parliamentary session.

As the House is aware, the findings of Laboratory tests, provided by the FSAI to my Department on 14 January, revealed the presence of non beef DNA in some beef products. This generally involved trace or minute amounts of porcine or equine DNA with the exception of one burger which had a high level of equine DNA.

Today as Taoiseach I’m honoured to attend the European Parliament and present the priorities of the Irish Presidency

Given the statement by the Revenue Commissioners last week that they will be compiling information on valuing properties for the local property tax beginning in March, it is necessary to provide more information for the public.

Fine Gael Laois/Offaly TD, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has hit back at claims from Barry Cowen that the Government is failing to tackle the jobs crisis, saying that during Fianna Fáil’s last three years in power over a quarter of a million jobs were lost in the private sector.

Fine Gael Clare TD and Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, Pat Breen, has warmly welcomed the announcement that Kilrush has been selected as the location for the National Famine Commemoration 2013.

Ireland’s EU Presidency Programme which was launched this week focuses on stability, jobs and growth and this includes a priority objective on tackling youth unemployment.

The survey result showed that in one particular sample tested, there was evidence of the presence of equine DNA at a high level in frozen beef burgers. The Minister said that the FSAI has made clear that there is no food safety implication to this finding although it does raise concerns about the proper labelling and sourcing of food ingredients.